Data Scientist · Sports Analyst · 3× Olympian

BRIAN
JOHNS

Where elite athletic intelligence meets data science

Olympian
CANADA
WR World Record
Breaker
25+ Years in Elite Sport
Athlete · Coach · Analyst
Brian Johns
Current Role HEAD OF
COACHING SCIENCE
FORM Swim
Brian Johns carrying the Canadian flag

Flag Bearer — Canada · 2007 University Games, Bangkok

The Intersection

I've spent my life at the intersection of athletic performance and analytical thinking. As a three-time Canadian Olympian and World Record holder in the 400m Individual Medley, I lived inside elite sport data before "sports analytics" was a job title — understanding stroke mechanics, training loads, and race strategy through feel and experience.

Now I translate that domain expertise into data science. After a Master's in Coaching Science at UBC and a Data Science diploma at BrainStation, I joined FORM Swim as Head of Coaching Science — where I've helped build production systems used by tens of thousands of athletes worldwide.

I bring something rare to sports analytics teams: I've been the athlete, the coach, and the data scientist. I understand what metrics actually matter at the elite level, and I know how to turn them into systems that drive elite performance.

Python SQL Machine Learning Tableau NLP AWS / Spark Scikit-Learn PyTorch

Selected Work

A selection of data science projects spanning sports analytics, NLP, and performance modelling — from production systems used by real athletes to independent research and analysis.

Professional Work

Live Product · FORM Swim

Metric Design · Statistical Validation · Content

FORM Score

Devised and mathematically validated FORM Score — a 1–100 composite metric that quantifies swimming technique efficiency in a single interpretable number. Improved on legacy metrics like SWOLF by normalising for height and pool distances, then designed the scaling methodology to map raw performance variables onto a range that is both statistically rigorous and intuitive for athletes at every level. Validated the model against real athlete data before production release. Wrote all supporting content: educational blog series, in-app copy, and video explanations now embedded in the FORM app.

Metric Design Statistical Modelling Python Data Validation
Read the Blog
Live Product · FORM Swim

Classification · SQL · Python

Swimmer Type Classification

Designed the complete framework for classifying swimmers into eight distinct swimmer types using three variables: FORM Score, Distance Per Stroke (DPS), and Stroke Rate (SR). Used SQL to analyse population-level data across FORM's athlete base and Python to build the classification logic — which now drives personalized coaching recommendations inside HeadCoach. Designed and wrote the full educational content system explaining each Swimmer Type, what it means for training, and how athletes progress between types over time.

Python SQL Classification Feature Engineering
Read the Blog
Live Product · FORM Swim

Algorithm Design · Python · JSON

HeadCoach Workouts

Built the personalized workout generation engine at the core of FORM's HeadCoach feature. Wrote a Python script that takes a swimmer's objective (race preparation across pool, open water, and triathlon formats; or general improvement goals such as technique or fitness), their performance data, and their Swimmer Type to select from a library of over 200 workout templates — each written in JSON — to generate a personalized training session. Worked directly with the engineering team through the full development and deployment cycle. HeadCoach Workouts became one of the leading indicators of trial-to-subscription conversion and subscription retention.

Python JSON Algorithm Design Personalisation
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Live Product · FORM Swim

System Design · Training Science · Domain Expertise

HeadCoach Plans

Designed the full logic for FORM's personalized training plan system — sequencing HeadCoach Workouts into structured multi-week plans tailored to a swimmer's goals. Developed adaptive logic covering race-specific preparation (with and without a fixed race date) and general improvement pathways, providing engineering with the complete decision framework through detailed specifications and close collaboration. The system delivers personalized coaching at scale, and contributed to measurable improvements in subscriber retention.

System Design Training Science Personalisation Domain Expertise
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Independent Research & Analysis

Sports Analytics · Capstone

NHL Player Salary Prediction

Used NHL basic and advanced statistics to predict and evaluate player cap hits using Linear Regression, XGBoost, Random Forest, and Clustering models. Identified which performance metrics most strongly predict market value and where players are over- or under-paid relative to their on-ice contribution.

Python XGBoost Random Forest Clustering SHAP Values
View on GitHub

Sports Analytics · Tableau

PWHPA Goalie Scouting Dashboard

An interactive Tableau dashboard for professional women's hockey goalie scouting and evaluation. Visualises key performance metrics to support roster decisions and performance evaluation, bringing a data-driven lens to a position historically evaluated by eye.

Tableau Hockey Analytics Scouting
View Dashboard

NLP · Classification

Mavericks Tweet Sentiment Analysis

Combined Twitter data with NBA game results to perform multi-class sentiment analysis using NLP, SMOTE, Logistic Regression, and Naive Bayes. Explored how on-court performance drives real-time fan sentiment and the asymmetry between wins and losses in social response.

Python NLP SMOTE Classification
View on Github

Data Analysis · Visualization

Vancouver Accident Analysis

Analysed ICBC accident data across Vancouver neighbourhoods using MySQL window functions and CTEs, then built Tableau dashboards to surface neighbourhood-level risk patterns and trends for city planners and insurers.

SQL MySQL Tableau
View Dashboard GitHub →

The Full Picture

Oct 2022 – Present

Head of Coaching Science

FORM Swim · Vancouver, BC

Domain expert bridging elite swimming knowledge and data science across all teams. Developed the FORM Score metric, the Swimmer Type classification system, the HeadCoach Workout generation engine, and the HeadCoach Plans logic — four interconnected production systems now used by tens of thousands of athletes globally.

Apr 2022 – Jul 2022

Teacher's Assistant — Data Science

BrainStation · Vancouver, BC

Selected based on academic performance to mentor students in SQL, Tableau, machine learning, and big data analysis. Taught supplementary sessions on Python and ML model implementation.

Sep 2016 – Oct 2021

Director of Swimming / Head Coach

Vancouver Pacific Swim Club · Vancouver, BC

Led athlete development programming and stakeholder management across coaches, parents, board members, and facilities. Maintained operational continuity through the pandemic. Developed frameworks to track performance data for long-term athlete development.

Sep 2011 – Aug 2016

Assistant Coach

UBC Thunderbirds · Vancouver, BC

Coached varsity athletes to the provincial, national and international level. Named Junior Coach of the Year in 2012. Developed data frameworks to identify talent, recruit swimmers and maximize their potential.

2000 – 2012

National Team Swimmer · 3× Olympian

Swimming Canada

Represented Canada at three Olympic Games. Broke the World Record in the 400m Individual Medley. Competed at the highest level of international sport for over a decade, developing a deep analytical understanding of performance metrics, physiological modelling, and what it takes to optimise human athletic output.

2022

Diploma, Data Science

BrainStation · Vancouver, BC

2009 – 2011

Master's in Kinesiology — Coaching Science

University of British Columbia

2001 – 2009

Bachelor's in Human Kinetics

University of British Columbia

Let's Talk
Sports Data

Open to roles in sports analytics, performance science, and data science — particularly with teams, leagues, and organisations where deep athletic domain knowledge makes the difference.